Month: October 2007

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Tips for the Kitchen

I know that I play the same tune over and over – “Forget about the tips, focus on the fundamentals” and that I think most of us are making a mistake by focusing on tips when we look to improve our productivity. Here is an example of what I mean when I think about focusing on the wrong things.

This comes from a newsletter I subscribe to that sends out a series on improving one’s productivity.

Time Saving Tips For Your Kitchen from PlanYourTimeNow.comAre you spending too much time in your kitchen? Would you like to have a lot more time to spend on your children, or simply to pamper yourself, chill out or relax? Well, if you follow some of these time saving kitchen tips, you will find yourself with some extra time that you can use for any purpose that you want.

Let’s look at some of these time saving tips: Continue reading “Tips for the Kitchen”

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Reader’s Questions

Laura sent me the following question, which made me stop and think, and to attempt an answer in just a few words. Thanks to her for asking. Laura, by the way is the author of the blog: http://simpleproductivityblog.com – which I strongly recommend.

I really like your idea of taking these ideas of self-management (because it really is more than managing your time) to people who are not already inclined to adopt them. I was thinking more about it, and while I understand the “belt” analogy, if you really want to reach the non-users of other management systems you might want to consider a different term, one that would be more approachable than a martial arts one. The martial arts one conjures up ideas of discipline and toughness. That might scare most non-adopters off.

Good luck!

LJ

On 10/19/07, Francis Wade <[email protected]> wrote: Continue reading “Reader’s Questions”

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Hate the Martial Arts’ Belt System?

belts.jpgA keen reader made the point recently that the martial arts structure built into 2Time might have some drawbacks. One is that the martial arts are seen by some as being difficult, arduous and combative. 2Time, on the other hand, is meant to be natural and organic. Perhaps it could be compared with the non-violent martial arts, if there are any!

Also, just the idea of the existence of a Black Belt is enough to get some Type A users thirsting after its attainment.

In 2Time, getting to the Back Belt level is hardly the point. In fact, given that the Black Belt level involves research and development of new methods, plus teaching, it might not be of interest to any, other than the most ardent.

The point of the belt levels in 2Time is that anyone can function successfully at any level, and that it all depends on what the user is trying to accomplish with their life.

In other words, 2Time users should get to the point where they have determined that further investments in changing their habits is not worth the extra effort.

This gives the user peace of mind knowing that they are doing their best given the current state of the art, and until there are some breakthroughs in the way time is managed, there is no need for them to improve their skills.

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An Analysis of a Single System

I just read a fascinating account of how how a blogger called Ricky Spears experimented with a new paper-based time management system that he ultimately rejected.

It reminded me of why I could never go back to using paper, and why I bought my first Palm PDA without ever looking back.

He goes into some detail about the habits the new system was forcing him to adopt, against his better judgement.

See Goodbye Planner Organizer, I Hardly Knew Ye.

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Changing Habits – Neatly and Simply

Neat and Simple is a blog well worth reading for those who are serious about 2Time or any other thinking around time management.

In this article on changing habits, the author (Ariane Benefit) delves into what it takes to overcome deeply ingrained habits, and to take on new ones. She identifies four different phases an erstwhile habit breaker must go through:

  1. Initiation
  2. Disorientation
  3. Reorientation
  4. Integration

It’s just great thinking and writing.

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Voting ends on Friday (whew!)

In a prior post on September 20th, I mentioned that I had entered my proposal to write a new, hopefully revolutionary, manifesto on the skill of time management.

What I have neglected to mention is that it’s the most popular proposal of the 11 being offered up this month.

I have no idea what the threshold is to be asked to take the next step and “write a manifesto” but… if you haven’t voted, please do so.

The final date is Friday Oct 19th.

The title is “On Time Management: Toss Away the Tips, Focus on the Fundamentals”

Click here to be taken to the proposal.

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Outlook Newsletter

This looks to me like a pretty in-depth newsletter on how best to use Outlook.

I don’t think it gets into the design of the software, but it seems to get into some useful distinctions about how best to manage tasks.

Once again, however, the system described happens to match the one that the author uses, rather than clearly describing a range of options for all users. It might be because the ideas behind the system are all contained within the book, rather than shared in a blog, and the site is one of those developed by the publisher in order to sell more books.

While the approach is very old-school, the thinking seems to get a bit deeper than usual.

The system is called “Total Workday Control” and the ideas I read were described in the author’s newsletter.

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Following the Fundamentals

conductor.jpgI once completed an IronMan triathon. The next question most people ask is “How long was that?” I respond – “a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile ride, and a 26.2 mile run.” They then ask “Over how many days?”

No-one believes me when I tell them that the biggest issue in completing an endurance event is not fitness, but time management. I then silently think to myself that they could do one also, with the right habits.

Another fact they are unaware of is that ultra-distance sports require an ability to manage several disciplines at once, in addition to the more obvious running, swimming, cycling and transitioning. Continue reading “Following the Fundamentals”

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More on 2Time Analogies

There are some different ways in which I have been trying to compare 2Time to other ways of trying to improve productivity. When compared to other “systems” I think of the guru-driven systems as particular destinations on a path to greater productivity. 2Time is an attempt to describe the path, without saying that any one destination is better than any other.

Each system has its followers, from Covey to GTD® to others. They happen to attract (and keep) the users whose habits are probably most compatible with the system. Continue reading “More on 2Time Analogies”